Chapter Text
Seeking Solace
Chapter One
By GCS
DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.
The little red rescue squad passed through the streets of Carson, California seemingly unnoticed by the pedestrians going about their evening business. Inside the two firemen/paramedics sat tall and proud. Their turnouts crusted with dried mud, their once sweat covered hair now dried and stuck in various places to their foreheads beneath their helmets. Exhausted from the continuous rescue efforts needed to extract the victims of the mine cave in but exhilarated by the fact that they had just performed their first acts as officially licensed paramedics. The Wedsworth-Townsend Act had passed allowing the paramedic program to proceed. They had received word just in time to save their heart attack victim. They had been allowed to administer their first official field IV without a nurse or doctor present, shock their first heart back into rhythm. What a rush.
Dr. Brackett had finally come around and went before the committee to fight for the program, the result leading to the very first save for this new team of practicing paramedics. Now after stopping by Rampart General Hospital to check on their patient and refill their supplies the two men were returning to Station 51 to relinquish their responsibilities of offering immediate medical care to the citizens of Los Angeles, California to the next shift, the next pair of waiting paramedics now licensed to practice in the field.
Backing the squad into the bay Roy Desoto put the Squad in park and sat staring out the windshield into the darkened evening sky. John Gage sat beside him also staring out into the world beyond. "We did it Roy. We actually did it."
"We sure did Junior."
The two men smiled to each other and moved to exit the truck. Waiting in the day room the rest of the A-shift crew and the members of the next shift were joined by the chief who wanted to congratulate his men. The shift change had been scheduled for much earlier in the day, but the catastrophe at the mine had delayed the switch. Strolling into the room expecting to grab a quick cup of coffee before hitting the showers the two men were surprised by a standing ovation from their firefighting family. Captain Hammer and the chief approached the men with outstretched hands taking them both into a very proud hand shake. The others in the room followed closely behind.
That had been three years ago. Captain Hank Stanley was now the leader of the A-shift, but the rest of the guys: Mike, Marco, Chet, Johnny and Roy were all still part of the team. Hank Stanley was a good captain and more importantly a great friend. Looking across the table from where he sat with his partner beside him Johnny smiled. Why was he thinking about all of this today he wondered? Being a fireman had been his dream as a boy. He had wanted to be a tillerman, but as a boot he had found that he enjoyed the rush that performing rescues had given him. He had also discovered that he was good at it. So he became one of the best rescue men in the department. Then when the paramedic program training had started and the fire department had pushed for the rescue men to attend the training and become certified he had eventually decided to join the second class. That was when he first met Roy; now they were partners and best friends.
"Johnny?" Roy asked his partner after he had been still and quiet too long. "You okay?"
"Huh?"
"You've been sitting there for a long time just looking off into space. I asked you if you wanted a refill on your coffee. You didn't even act like you heard me. Are you feeling all right?"
"Yeah partner, just thinking." Johnny smiled up at his friend. "A refill would be great. Thanks."
Roy obliged, but was not convinced that everything was okay with his usually very animated and never still best friend. Hank looked up from the sports section of the newspaper to check on the appearance of his youngest crewman. "John if you're not feeling well you had better let me know. I don't want you keeping another illness or injury to yourself. Understood?"
"I'm fine Cap. Just got a lot on my mind today."
"You let Roy or I know if you find yourself in need of a replacement."
"Yes sir." Johnny ducked his head in embarrassment. He knew that he had kept things from his shift and captain before. He was truly just deep in thought today remembering how much he had benefited from his relationship with the guys and his opportunities with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. "Uh I'll be out back if anyone needs me," he said as he rose from his seat and took his coffee cup. Walking slowly through the apparatus bay taking in the squad and engine's beauty as he did Johnny went outside and climbed up on the hood of his Land Rover. He loved to relax on the hood of his beloved truck enjoying the warmth of the sun on his face and the sounds of the city around him. He loved to escape those sounds often going hiking or camping, but something about the noises at the station reminded him of his responsibility to the citizens that called for the help of Station 51. Johnny thought about how he felt the sense of family that he had lost when his parents had been killed in a head on car crash ten years ago. Sure he had gone to live with his aunt who loved him dearly, but he had felt more a burden to her than a son. Now somehow his captain seemed more like a father to him than he ever thought possible, and Roy had taken up residence in his heart as more than a friend he was his brother. Roy's wife Joanne and two children, Chris and Jenny, had become his family. His shift mates and the staff at Rampart completed his group of new found family. Johnny finally felt like he belonged again and it felt good. That was it. Today was the anniversary of his graduation from the academy. That's why his mind was clouded with all of these memories and mushy feelings. The sudden ringing of the klaxons brought Johnny back to reality. Jumping from the hood of the Rover he sprinted into the bay and slid up next to the squad. Grabbing his turnout coat as he listened intently to the call from the radio as dispatch announced a fire at a clothing factory, he slipped into his seat on the passenger side of the squad. "Sounds like a big one."
"Yeah that's four stations and an extra squad on the first response. I sure hope there is no one inside that factory right now," Roy said as he shifted the squad into drive. Pulling from the bay before the door was even all the way up. Johnny directed their path from the station to the scene and the engine followed closely behind. When they approached the factory they could see the smoke rising high in the air.
"Man Roy will you look at that!"
Listening to the instructions given the arriving companies coming across the radios Roy knew that 51's was sent to the rear of the facility. Pulling up along side the hydrant so Johnny could get out to grab the feeder hose from big red, he then proceeded to a safe position for the squad. With quick precise movements Johnny wrapped the hose around the hydrant and waited for the engine to pull forward laying hose as it went. When Mike found the best spot for the rig Chet and Marco jumped down from either side of the engine and secured the wheel chocks. Then with great skill Johnny attached the valve to the hydrant on the side facing the fire. Once he had the hose attached to the hydrant, he checked to be sure Mike was ready for the water, using the hydrant wrench he turned it on and came running up beside the squad to get his SCBA. Donning their breathing apparatus the two paramedics joined their Captain as the Battalion Chief explained their assignment. "There are at least three workers missing. This place is full of solvents, fabric dyes, and other combustible agents. Hank we'll need your paramedics to assist squad 16 in the search and rescue. Your linemen will have to back them up. It is extremely hot in there. It's all one story except over the main office area there is some storage. The stairs are on the north corner of the rear of the office area. There are also several catwalks that stretch over the machinery. The plant supervisor is one of the missing. He could be anywhere. He was reported as trying to evacuate everyone from the building. The other two missing are possibly in the sewing room at the rear of the plant. Good luck men."
The three men nodded to the chief and returned to join the engine crew. "Chet and Marco we need two lines. I'll back you both up. We need to follow Roy and John to give them as much cover as possible. Keep in mind this place is full of combustible agents and flammables. Keep your eyes open for dangers. Mike keep that pressure steady. We'll need it. Okay men let's do this."
Johnny grabbed a pick head axe and Roy a halligan bar as they passed the squad on the way to enter the burning structure. Craig Brice and Bob Bellingham the paramedic team from Station 16 joined the group as they prepared to enter the building. Captain Stanley radioed Mike to open the pressure to the hoses. Chet and Marco stood ready for the surge and then opened the nozzles releasing water onto the entrance. Johnny moved to the head of the group felt the door for heat and broke it open with the head of the axe. All of the men braced for the expected fireball they knew would rush out as oxygen rushed into the building. Ducking away from the reaching grasp of the flames hungry for anything that would burn, the group of men hesitated for the seconds needed for Marco and Chet to squelch the fire around the door. The group made its way inside. Flames shot up in every direction and rolled along the floors and ceiling. The smell of burning wood and fabric permeated their clothing and hair. The thick smoke made it almost impossible to determine one part of the factory from another.
"Chet you follow Roy and John to the right up on those catwalks. Marco you go with Craig and Bob up top above the offices. John you lead while Roy backs Chet up on the hose. Marco I'll back you. Now let's move." The group dispersed to the assigned search areas. Half way up the stairs to the catwalk Johnny noticed a vat below that looked to be filled with fabric dye. He motioned to Roy and Chet to make them aware of it as well. They reached the top with no real trouble. Moving down the walk Johnny surveyed the area below for victims. As he backed up Chet on the hose Roy also looked over the area. Noticing a row of 55 gallon drums he presumed were filled with solvents he yelled to get Johnny's attention. Before he could get Johnny to hear him the drums began exploding causing them to fly up and knock against the bottom of the walkway. One drum burst through the walk mere feet in front of his partner. Johnny was thrown from his feet and off the walk. Somehow miraculously he managed to grab a one hand hold on the broken end of the walk. Chet immediately shut of the hose and he and Roy ran over to assist their fallen man. Roy reached him first grasping him by the wrist.
"Roy!" Johnny yelled as he saw his friends running towards where he hung on for dear life.
"Johnny hold on!" Roy dove for the open gap in the walk and grabbed on. "Chet grab my legs before we both go over." Chet slammed down on top of Roy's legs. "Hang on Junior we're going to get you out of here."
"Hurry Roy I think I cut my side. I'm bleeding. Bad." Roy knew if Johnny was telling him about an injury it had to be bad.
"Can you reach your other hand up?" Johnny raised his other hand and grabbed a handful of Roy's turnout coat.
"Awww man." Johnny gasped at the movement.
"Okay can you pull yourself up?"
"Don't think I can."
"Come on Johnny you have to."
Chet rose up and sat on Roy's legs while reaching for Johnny's arm ready to help him pull up. "Come on Gage I'll help ya."
Johnny's eyes met Chet's and he nodded his assent to try. Together the two men were able to help Johnny back up onto the damaged walk. When he lay back Roy could see the amount of blood already soaking through Johnny's turnouts. "Chet we have to get him out of here." Reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out the HT Roy called to his Captain. Dispensing with radio protocol he called out to Hank. "Cap this is Roy. John's down. We need to evacuate him immediately. There are 55 gallon drums of solvent below us and the area is unsafe. The catwalk is impassible from here." As he spoke in the radio he opened Johnny's turnout coat to see the damage. Johnny had a very deep tear along his right side and was bleeding profusely. As soon as he finished with his radio transmission and even before Captain Stanley had time to respond Chet had grabbed the hose to provide protection on the way out and Roy had Johnny in a fireman's carry. They were on the move as Stanley gave them the go ahead to evacuate.
"10-4 HT 51. We're right behind you. We found the two workers and their supervisor. Evacuate now." Captain Stanley knew that Roy was rattled by Johnny's injury so in his heart he too knew it had to be bad.
Roy practically ran down the stairs from the catwalk. Back on level ground again he laid Johnny on the floor. He had to try to control the bleeding. Chet continued to keep the fire from reaching his crew mates. Captain Stanley came running up beside his fallen man. Marco, Craig, and Bob all passed carrying the three other victims from the burning building. "Roy how is he?"
"Not good Cap we need a stokes. Now!"
Captain Stanley radioed Mike to shut off the engine's pumps and bring in a stokes and pressure bandages right away. Before he could get the pumps shut off Marco had grabbed the needed gear. Mike and Marco ran into the building. Johnny looked up at his superior, "Sorry Cap."
"Don't worry about it John. It wasn't your fault. You just hang in there."
"Yeah," he breathed out with a gasp of pain.
"Stay with me Johnny." Roy talked calmly to his partner. "Mike's on his way with the stokes."
Suddenly Mike and Marco had arrived with the needed equipment. Roy immediately applied the pressure bandages to Johnny's side asking Chet to keep pressure on them as they lifted Johnny into the stokes he reached out a hand seeking solace from his Captain. Hank grabbed the outstretched hand and gripped it strongly. "Okay John I'm right here. Roy are we ready to move?"
Roy moved to the other side of the stokes replacing Chet in putting pressure to stop the bleeding, Mike took the feet and Marco the head. Chet grabbed the halligan Roy had dropped and they moved for the door. The linemen from another station had come to clear the way for their exit. They could feel the water spray as they came back into daylight.
"Chet get the bio-phone, drug box and oxygen." Captain Stanley directed. "Roy let's get him on that chopper. You can treat him in the air."
"Cap," Johnny whispered.
"Yes John?"
"Don't leave me Cap."
"John I'll be at Rampart as soon as I can."
"No Cap. Need….need…hold….on." Johnny was afraid. He knew he had lost a lot of blood and the cut was deep and long. Johnny sought the comfort that only a father could give a son during a traumatic situation.
Captain Stanley had a duty to the department, but he also knew that right now one of his men was fighting not only for his life, but also his ability to continue his career.
"Go Cap I'll take over as crew leader," Mike assured Hank.
Captain Stanley reached into his pocket and pulled out his HT. "HT 51 to Battalion 14."
"Go ahead HT 51."
"Requesting permission to accompany code I on helicopter to Rampart and leaving second in command as leader of my crew."
The chief knew Hank Stanley's devotion to his job as commander of his crew, but he also knew of Stanley's dedication to his men. Knowing how his crew looked to him for direction and often comfort he could only imagine the severity of his man's injury. "HT 51 permission granted to accompany code I to Rampart. Please advise on identity of injured man."
"Code I is John Gage."
The chief knew that Johnny was the youngest member of Stanley's crew. He also knew that Hank had taken on a special role for the orphaned man. "10-4 keep us posted. Have your lead man report to command for instructions after your departure."
"10-4 HT 51 out."
The group of men loaded Johnny onto the chopper. Chet raced over with the equipment. Roy climbed in along with Hank. Chet and Marco stood back as Mike shut the chopper door and gave the pilot the thumbs up to take off. The chopper lifted up and quickly disappeared above the cloud of smoke that covered the area. Mike, Chet and Marco went back to assist with the battle that raged to gain control of the dragon that consumed the factory.
On the chopper Johnny struggled to stay conscious while Roy worked to administer care. Hank held John's hand and talked calmly to his as they raced toward the hospital.